I’m 78 years old, and have read every Potter
book three times. I’m rereading Order of Phoenix
now as I always do just before the latest movie
shows up at the box office. The wide screen
version of Harry et al. arriving at the
Quidditch World Cup Games in Gobet of Fire
absolutely blew me away. Remember, I grew up
in a small town where silent movies remained
long after talkies hit the cities. My aunt
played the accompanying piano at the old Rialto
Theater! And one of the first talkies I ever
saw was a Tom Mix western...a real thriller!
But the visuals aside, IMO Rowlings’ real
genius has been the creation of such a wide
range of characters in her books. And, while
the challenges are a far cry from those foisted
on Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Flash Gordon,
or The Lone Ranger, the end game is the same...
adventure with the acuity to solve the mystery
and defeat the evil genius behind the foul deed.
If you’re not into Harry Potter..that’s ok. We
all have our bents. And I’m sure the kids of
today would sniff their noses at the likes
of such classics as Sam Spade in The Maltese
Falcon or even John Wayne in Stage Coach.
But, time marches on and heroes come and go
despite the fact they all perform their magic
touch on the contemporary audience.